Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O’Reilly: Life and Times

May 7th 1936

Born in Dublin to Jack O’Reilly and Aileen O’Connor.

1940s

1 of 3

14th September 1959: Irish winger Tony O’Reilly of the Lions fends off D J Davison of the Junior All Blacks in a match at Wellington. Photograph: Central Press/Getty Images

Educated at Belvedere College, Dublin

1955

Makes debut for Irish rugby team versus England at Twickenham and selected for Lions tour to South Africa

1958

Qualifies as a solicitor having studied at UCD. Moved to England and took role as management consultant with Weston-Evans. Joins Leicester rugby club.

1959

Tours New Zealand and Australia with Lions. Meets Australian Susan Cameron in Sydney.

1960

Returns to Ireland to work at William Cory in Cork.

1962

Marries Susan Cameron. They have six children in four years, including triplets. That same year he is appointed first general manager of Bord Bainne. Spends four years there, launching the Kerrygold butter brand.

1966

Takes over at Irish Sugar Company, at invitation of Jack Lynch. Triplets are born, Gavin, Tony Jnr and Caroline.

1967

Visits US food giant Heinz in Pittsburgh to secure partnership for Erin Foods, an Irish Sugar subsidiary.

1969

Heinz offers him chance to run its UK business. Lynch counters with an offered of a ministerial post via Seanad panel but O’Reilly decides to leave Irish Sugar after three tough years.

1970

Begins career with Heinz in UK and joins London Irish rugby club. Is brought out of retirement by Irish selectors and wins final cap against England in Twickenham.

That same year, with blessing of Heinz, he sets up Fitzwilliam Securities with partners to invest in Irish projects.

It acquires control of Crowe Wilson, a wholesale drapery company.

1971

Moves to Pittsburgh to become Heinz’s senior vice president of north America and Pacific.

Leaves Southampton with the family, nannies and pets aboard the QE2 for voyage to New York and then on to Pittsburgh.

1972

Becomes chief operating officer of Heinz. He is number two now and earmarked for top job.

1973

Buys the Irish Independent and is appointed president and chief operating officer of Heinz. That year he also buys the run-down Castlemartin estate in Kildare for €254,000. Heinz acquires Weight Watchers.

1976

Co-founder of Ireland Funds with Dan Rooney.

1978

Acquires the ‘Sunday World’.

1979

Becomes fifth chief executive of Heinz. He is the youngest chief executive of a major American company and one of the best paid.

1980

Sets up Atlantic Resources to drill for oil and gas off coast of Ireland. It initially soars due to frenetic drilling activity but it found no oil and the share price collapsed.

It morphed into Arcon, developing a lead and zinc mine in Galmoy. Arcon is sold in 2005 to Lundin Mining with O’Reilly switching his exploration focus to Providence Resources.

1988

Expands media interests into Australia, buying up various regional newspapers from Rupert Murdoch.

1989

First non-Heinz family member to become chairman.

1990

Invests in Waterford Wedgwood, saving company from bankruptcy. Becomes chairman in 1994.

1991

Marries Chryss Goulandris, a Greek shipping heiress, having split with first wife Susan in the 1980s. He becomes Ireland’s richest man.

1998

Leaves Heinz.

2001

Leads Valentia consortium in acquisition of Eircom, beating rival bid by Denis O'Brien.

Seeks Government approval before accepting knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for services to Northern Ireland.

2004/05

Exits Eircom by floating company on stock market and then selling to Babcock & Brown.

2009

Waterford Wedgwood collapses. O'Reilly and brother-in-law Peter Goulandris lose more than €400 million.

He also stands down as chief executive of Independent News & Media, following a peace accord with then rebel shareholder Denis O’Brien.

Succeeded as chief executive by son Gavin. INM hit by recession and eventually has to sell assets and restructure its debts.

2012

Loses control of INM to O’Brien, having spent €350 million buying shares to try and ward him off. Later begins selling INM shares to help pay off debts.

2014

AIB seeks a judgment of €22 million against O'Reilly. AIB describes O'Reilly as insolvent with debts of €195 million. He pledges to sell Castlemartin and other assets to pay off creditors.

– CIARÁN HANCOCK